Hello there ...
its rather cold wet and windy here today .. so I am using it as an excuse to sit by the fire and 'fiddle about' .. I've dabbled a bit with my ebay listing .. messed about with a crochet hook .. having a go at some Christmas Robin type corsages ... or similar!
Can't really summon up the energy to do very much ... I think ..I am feeling .. Winter has come ...
We worked yesterday ... in the rain .. dreary...
but I picked up a box of old linen ...
Rooting about in it I spotted some interesting 'colours' ..
you know how you do ...
You spot a scrap of fabric ... a tantalising glimpse of something interesting .. a nice shade or pattern ...
The colours were muted ... vintage-y colours ... mucky looking but interesting to me.
After wading through the gents old underpants and yellowed string vests ...
(its no wonder I have a strong healthy immune system)
I pulled out these old tea towels and dish cloths ... I just loved their ... oldness?
They are very worn and faded and somewhat stained ... they haven't come up very clean after a good hot wash ...
but that's their story ...their life ... a long and hard one..
And I love them just the same.
The tea towels intrigued me ... they are/were obviously a good quality cotton . They have little makers labels which double as loops to hang them up.
They were produced by The Bombay Dyeing Company ... I looked it up .. its still going today ... India's foremost textile company founded in 1879.
The company sponsors Miss India ...
just a random piece of information .. you may wish to have at hand to use when in a difficult situation ... at a Dinner party ... or whatever!
And I must just show you my new (to me) kettle ...
again found at the car boot ... by the ever industrious treasure seeker Hubby P .
A Girl does of course dream of large shiny kettles in splendid kitchens ... a large .. wonderfully warming Aga on which to boil said kettle.
But in the real world we are content with the modest kitchen we have ... thankful that we can cook and bake and make a warming cup of tea ...
I think the kitchen must be the heart of any home.
My dinky little kettle fits just nicely on the cooker ring ... and makes such a pleasing 'boil-y' sound ... I'm sure the tea tastes so much nicer.
And as for steaming good stews .... what could be nicer on a cold miserable day....
A nice pot of stew and dumplings ... the stew ... a simple 4 oz of cheapest minced beef to give a bit of flavour .. and lots of veg ... onions.. a odd 'inch' of a leek .. a carrot and scrapings of the leftovers dish ... and of course a handful of oats to plump it up a bit.
Whatever is handy really ...the dumplings were from a packet (reduced to 20p at the local shop ..Hubby P bought all six packets ... well trained you see!).
So I will leave you with the dumplings ...
Its that time of year ....
whats your tried and tested frugal and filling dish?
xx
